On an autumn day in Moscow, Your Shot contributor Veronika Ko waited beside a lake for swans to swim close enough to photograph—but they never did. She had decided to leave when she spotted some feathers floating toward her. “It was obviously the swans’ gift for my patience,” she says. Noticing the water’s movement and the autumn trees reflected on its surface, she prepared a 200mm lens and waited for the biggest feather to approach.

Ko emphasizes the importance of taking advantage of the unexpected, in this case to create a unique shot and share the beauty of simple things. “To me it’s not just a feather; it’s a beautiful part of our life, of our surroundings, something that could bring us smiles and happiness just by watching it.”

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